Real Rose
by Punching Bagg
Summary: Rosie and Bill now live a peaceful life without Norman, but what will happen when Rosie and Bill see Norman in the shadows haunting them and staking them everywhere they went? Is Norman real, will he kill them? Takes places after the events in Rose Madder


Real Rose

Chapter One: Little Rosie Rose

Rose and Bill Steiner lived peacefully, Rose had become in control of Daughter & Sister after Anna was killed by Norman, Rose's crazy husband. Rose ran away from Norman to D&S she made good friends with the other woman living at D&S, Norman was close behind her following her. Just when she had thought she escaped Norman showed up, in a disguised he named his self Richard Peterson. Norman was caught. Rose Steiner still shivers at the thought of Norman following her, watching her.

"Is something wrong?" Bill asked Rose.

"Huh?" She looked at Bill he was looking directly into her eyes. "Oh it's nothing." The two were having coffee on an early Sunday morning.

"Is it Norman?" He asked. He knew. She had never gotten over the fear of Rose Madder, Norman, Erinyes, or the many death Norman has caused by looking for her. He killed her friends almost Bill, Rose had thought death would be the only thing to stop Norman; he was strong, quick, and mentally unstable. She lived now for years now with fear, but not as much, without Norman she could live happily with Bill. She had nightmares of Norman coming back to her. _I'm coming for you Rose. Rosie, Rosie Rose Real! _He would shout at her in her dreams, in the dreams Rosie would be standing out in front of D&S while Norman walked towards her she would scream and cry for help, but none would come. She struggled to move but found it impossible; _I want to talk to you up close. _He approached her when he was close enough his fist would ram into her face and she would wake up wet with fear.

"Rosie," Bill placed his hand on hers. "He's gone. You don't have to worry."

"I know," Rose said in a quiet voice. "I just…I can see him in my dreams."

"He's gone and dead for good." Bill smiled. Rosie smiled with a nod and kissed him on the cheek. They finished up their coffee and walked along the sidewalk holding hands like two school kids in love for the first time.

"If it's a girl can we name it Caroline?" Rose asked almost with fear that he might decline.

"Of course you can," Bill smiled.

"Is there any name you would want if it's a boy?"

"I can't think of anything right now." Bill seriously thought. What would he name the child if it were to be a boy? He did not know. Bill and Rose walked over to D&S where they did their usual business that was done when Anna was in charge. Rosie's hope was to raise enough money for a picnic; she knew that Anna would be awfully sore if she wasn't able to raise enough money. D&S had many fundraisers to help renovate the D&S building. D&S grew popular and more women who ran like Rose came in. Rose understood them and their story telling them she was like that once in her life. Once in a while Rose could hear Norman calling her, _I want to talk to you up close, Rose. _

Rose sat in her chair reading Misery's Lover by Paul Sheldon; the reading that she did calmed her when she was upset or stressed. There was a knock on the door. Rose place a bookmarker in the book and placed it down on her desk.

"Come in," Rose said in a soft friendly voice. The round golden doorknob turned slowly a girl about the age of twenty-two Rose guessed stepped in. "Welcome to Daughters & Sister." The girl said nothing she slowly walked up to Rosie. The girl rubbed her hand nervously.

"My boyfriend beat me for years, when I hear of this place I decided to come," She whispered with her head down.

"You came to the right place," Rose smiled. "We are family here, we all watch out for each other."

"Thank you," The girl gave a weak smile.

"So you will be given three months to get back on your feet. While you look for work you can sleep, eat, and hang out with the other house guests."

"Thank you."

"What's your name?" Rose asked out of pure curiosity.

"Tuesday," Tuesday mumbled. "Ravvi."

"Well, Tuesday. I hope the best for you?" Rosie smiled warmly. Rose and Tuesday walked out of the office and they went past some rooms until they got to the last room at the end of the hallway. Rose opened the door and let Tuesday in the room, there were four beds lined up against the walls two on each side. There were bags by two of the beds.

"You can have this empty bed." Rose stood by the bed. "You don't have any bags?"

"No," Tuesday mumbled. Rosie just smiled.

"Don't worry, by the front door there is a table with the paper, every morning and some jobs posted to the wall above the table."

"Thank you, really this helps. But what if he tried to look for me?"

"Believe me," Rosie places her hand on her chest. "I had the same problem, if you have a picture we can keep a look out for him." Tuesday felt relief for a few seconds, she breathed and brushed her light brown hair out of her face. Rose left back to her office. She opened the door and saw Norman standing in front of her desk.

"No," Rosie whispered.

"Yes Rosie. I'm back," Norman spoke. "Rosie Rose, real Rose, your real Rose, aren't you?" Norman laughed mocking her. Rosie grabbed a vase on and small table and threw it at Norman he disappeared and the violet vase smashed on the front of the desk. Flowers went everywhere and small sharp pieces of the vase. Rose's heart was pounding quickly like a small creatures heart might pound. Some of the girls came running to the door they looked over at the vase. They all looked to Rose then the vase, Rose's eyes slowly started to water up.

They had cleaned up the vase and everyone got back to what they were doing, Rosie sat at her desk running her hand through her hair, she mumbled to her self telling herself that Norman was dead and that was just a mind trick.

"He's dead," She mumbled. "He died and will stay dead. No coming back for Norman." Rose looked over to the mirror to her left by the bookcase; she walked over to the small circular mirror fixing her hair. "I'm a mess." Suddenly Norman's face appeared.

"Rose you can't escape me, I'm back Rose and I'll--" Rose picked up the mirror and tossed it across the room it cracked as it landed on its side then fell on its face. Rose walked over to it and knelt down by it. She carefully picked it up by the sides and looked at it, there was a large crack going down diagonally, she looked at it, it seemed to separate her face one side Rose and the other Norman. She quickly flipped it down on her desk. Rose quickly walked away and out of her office she locked it and place the key in the pocket of her pink jeans. She walked out of the building and down the street she walked over to where Bill worked.

"Bill," Rose said breathlessly. "I saw him."

"Who?" Bill asked concerned. "Who did you see?"

"Norman," She whispered. "Norman is here, he's coming for me."

"No. No. Rosie." He walked from behind the counter and hugged she started to cry, she sniffled and her nose became red she cried more.

"Please Bill, don't let him take me."

"Rosie don't worry," Bill rubbed her head. "He is not coming for you. Norman is dead." Rose calmed down he kissed her and she left back to D&S, she walked back to her office and sat back. She returned to Misery's Lover, she read along and it helped going back into her dream world of Misery, she loved Misery and all of Sheldon's works. Rose back in her chair, place on foot on the desk, she turned a page to the next and continued to read her book. The door opened and Bill came in.

"Is everything ok?" He asked.

"Yes I am fine, shouldn't you be at work?" Rosie asked.

"I closed up just for you," Bill smiled.

"You're too sweet to me." They kissed each other, Bill stayed for a while at D&S. He then left he had other tasks to take care of, Rose continued to read her book.

Bill walked out of the building he walked down the street someone called his name. He looked down the ally way that called him. In the shadows a big man stood.

"Remember me, Bill?" Norman asked. "You took my Rose, I'll kill you!"

"But, but--" Bill stammered. "You're supposed to be dead." Norman laughed cynically. Bill gazed into Norman's crazy eyes and saw revenge and hell. Bill ran out of the ally way and down the street he stopped halfway and looked over to see no one behind him. Was it just a shadow? Illusions? Bill did not know what it was, but Norman could not be back. Bill walked down the street took a left and down to the park, he sat down on one of the benches in the park. He ran his hands through his hair and was sweating lightly he rubbed his forehead. He looked left then right around is a slight panic fearing that Norman might come up behind him grab him by the neck lift him up and snap it all the way around.

"What am I thinking?" Bill said nervously. "He died, he died, he died." Bill was worrying as much as Rosie now he had just seen Norman, the dead cop Norman who killed many people to get to Rose, he then chuckled nervously thinking.

"He did die," He laughed. "No dead man can come back." He thought for a few minutes and got up he walked away and to D&S he walked over to Rose and his room up stairs where there were other rooms. He sat down on the queen size bed. In a few weeks there would be the D&S picnic where the girls at D&S would come together, like a reunion. Bill worried if there would be enough money, Rosie would be crushed if she didn't have enough money for this. This year Rosie was able to get the band Scrawl, she just needed a stage, a few games like before, but Rose did still worry of a shortage if they did not have enough money there would be a gap. Bill fell asleep on the bed thinking of the picnic.

Bill looked out to the distance to see Rose Madder temple. He slowly walked forward and entered the temple he walked down the long hallway. He walked down some steps to the main room of the temple, ripples started to come out from the center and to the edge of a small puddle. He walked down to walk one hallway and saw something coming at him. He jumped out of the way of the big black bull, it turned and came at Bill. He ran down the hall as Erinyes the blind bull came after him. Bill turned sharply, Erinyes made a wide turn and slammed into the corner of the wall smashing a small part of the temple. The bull shook it off and continued Bill ran with sweat going down the sides of his face. Erinyes now close behind Bill was only a few inches, he ran with all the energy he had left. He turned a corner and hit in a small hole in the wall.

"Shit," Bill whispered. "Where am I? Rose Madder? The painting?" Bill froze as the steps of the bull stopped then suddenly came back around and back down the hall, Bill breathed as Erinyes passed him.


End file.
